Florida NBCE Practice Exam

Colles fracture is the distal radius fracture most often seen in osteoporosis, resulting from a fall on an outstretched hand. The distal fragment is displaced dorsally (posteriorly) and often shortened, giving a characteristic dinner fork appearance on the wrist. Osteoporotic bone is more prone to this extra-articular fracture pattern in elderly patients, especially after a FOOSH injury. The other options describe different patterns: a ventral (volar) displacement, a greenstick fracture in kids, or a radial styloid intra-articular fracture, none of which produce the classic dinner fork deformity.